Welcome to the cultural and intellectual epicenter of Paris

At the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, leading publishing houses mingle with art galleries, home-decoration shops and great furniture designers. This is the intellectual heart of Paris. The café icons named Deux Magots and Flore are a few steps away and Brasserie Lipp is just around the corner.

Here, life is effervescent and you can feel the energy. Saint-Germain-des-Prés is a concentrate of talent that makes Hôtel Pont Royal an unforgettable place to stay.

A walk through time in Saint-Germain des Prés

Start with a walk in the Luxembourg gardens, take advantage of its green armchairs, its “jardins à la française “(French Style gardens), statues of Beethoven, Flaubert, Chopin and the Fountain of the Medicis. Considered as one of the most beautiful gardens of Paris, the Jardin du Luxembourg is a haven of peace.

We continue our tour of Paris, by visiting the quay “de Conti” and its famous bookshops. Here you can enjoy the romantic light from the Seine Banks and its “péniches” (French barges). Follow this with a short break on the famous “Pont des Arts” to savor the beauty of the city of light.

Elegance and distinction for a typical Parisian shopping break

We continue our discovery of Saint-Germain with a detour through Rue Bonaparte, or the passage Saint-André-des-Arts. Narrow and picturesque, it is full of charming little shops: jewelry, cake shops, furniture makers, and brands of “pret a porter” (ready-to-wear clothing.

Relax in classic areas

Le Café de Flore, 2 Magots, Coffee Lipp or the Bilboquet ... names of cafes and jazz clubs that resonate in our minds. Many legends of the twentieth century have played there, leaving behind a magical atmosphere. Time now for a coffee on the terrace, or a jazz concert, to relive these mythical times!

The history of the Saint-Germain Area

This history of the left bank of Paris has roots in the Middle Ages when houses were built around the abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Près. Saint-Germain gradually expanded and became attached to the city of Paris in the 17th century. During the period of the French Revolution, the area became a highly strategic location. Revolutionaries Marat, Danton and Guillotin inhabited the area and would meet there. The buildings of the monastery served as a reserve of powder and were destroyed. Nowadays, only ruins remain there. The Saint-Germain area again changed in the 19th century, when Haussmann altered the architecture of the streets. He designed the boulevard Saint-Germain, which has become one of the main streets of the capital.

The attraction of Saint-Germain-des-Près

Saint-Germain-des-Près has attracted for nearly a century many major figures: musicians, artists, philosophers and writers. Boris Vian, Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Jacques Prévert, Giacometti and many others have also graced the area. From Jazz clubs to the Café de Flore, from Odéon to the Saint-André-des-Arts bars, the streets are alive with tourists and souvenirs, mixing past and future.